Nov. 30, 2008
Candrea Thomas
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
candrea.k.thomas@nasa.gov
John Yembrick
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
john.yembrick-1@nasa.gov
RELEASE: 08-315
NASA'S SHUTTLE ENDEAVOUR GLIDES HOME AFTER SUCCESSFUL MISSION
EDWARDS, Calif. - Space shuttle Endeavour and its crew landed at 1:25
p.m. PST Sunday at Edwards Air Force Base in California, completing a
16-day journey of more than 6.6 million miles.
The STS-126 mission featured important repair work and prepared the
International Space Station to house six crew members on
long-duration missions beginning next year. The new station equipment
includes a water recovery system, additional sleeping quarters, a
second toilet and an exercise device. During four spacewalks, the
crew serviced the station's two Solar Alpha Rotary Joints, which
allow its solar arrays to track the sun, and installed new hardware
that will support future assembly missions.
Chris Ferguson commanded the flight and was joined by Pilot Eric Boe
and Mission Specialists Donald Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie
Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Sandra Magnus. Magnus remained
aboard the station, replacing Expedition 18 Flight Engineer Greg
Chamitoff, who returned to Earth on Endeavour after more than five
months on the station.
Weather concerns prevented the crew from returning to NASA's Kennedy
Space Center in Florida, the primary end-of-mission landing site. In
7-10 days, Endeavour will be transported approximately 2,500 miles
from California to Florida on the back of a modified 747 jumbo jet.
Once at Kennedy, Endeavour will be separated from the aircraft to
begin immediate processing for its next flight, targeted for May
2009.
STS-126 was the 124th space shuttle mission, the 22nd flight for
Endeavour and the 27th shuttle visit to the station.
With Endeavour and its crew safely home, the stage is set for the
launch of STS-119, targeted for Feb. 12, 2009. Discovery will deliver
the final pair of U.S. solar arrays, which will be installed on the
starboard end of the station's truss. The truss serves as the
backbone support for external equipment and spare components.
Lee Archambault will command the 14-day flight that will include four
planned spacewalks. Joining him will be Pilot Tony Antonelli, Mission
Specialists John Phillips, Steve Swanson, Joseph Acaba and Richard
Arnold, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi
Wakata. Wakata will replace Magnus on the station as a flight
engineer.
For more about the STS-126 mission and the upcoming STS-119 mission,
visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
For more about the International Space Station, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/station
-end-